

For instance, to open the PCB editor, you simply would click on. One of the nice things about Cadence is that you can open the tools by simply clicking on the appropriate file. brd: This is the main board file for PCB layout.Įach of these files can be named as you want, with the file type being designated by the dot extension. psm: The binary equivalent of a drawing file, and represents the footprint package’s physical shape in layout. dra: A drawing file used to create symbols, such as footprint packages for layout. We won’t get into all of the file types within the Cadence design system, but here are a few that you may see when you open an Allegro design directory:

Allegro physical viewer how to#
How to Start with Cadence Allegro and Understanding Its File StructureĬadence Allegro uses plenty of different file types in the design of a printed circuit board, and it will create many as well. So let’s take the lid off of this box, and start exploring the wonders within Allegro version 17.4. That’s where we are going to help, by giving you a simple introduction on how to start with Cadence Allegro. To support this level of technology however requires a lot of input from the designer, and there are a lot of different features and options in the user interface to learn how to use. It carries within it enough power and flexibility to handle anything that you will ever design. Simply trying to open a new design can be a challenge if you’ve never worked with this system before.Ĭadence Allegro is flat out one of the best PCB layout tool systems that you can use today. Just looking at all of the functionality in the menus is exciting, until I realized that I don’t know where to start. I have found some of these same emotions stirring within me when working with a new PCB CAD system for the first time. There was also a feeling of apprehension as I wondered how in the world I would ever be able to fit all of those little tiny plastic pieces together into just one model. When first opening the box of a new model, there was such a feeling of joy looking at all of those little tiny plastic pieces. While growing up, I really enjoyed building model planes, cars, and ships.
